Not yet but if there was no union to protect the workers, then there would probably be no real differance between them and Kroger. AT least as far as the treatment of workers goes.
I've skimmed through the video for key points. Kroger loves to copy Wal-mart for some reason. what they really need to look at is how HEB is managed.
I spend free time in Kyle and San Marcos. There are two big HEB Plus stores . They would rival a super Wal-Mart in size. Only problem is they are a little too big to shop. HEB does have a good operation. Only problem , down here, is the prices are still a lot higher than in the DFW area. But then the only real competition around here is HEB and Super Wal-marts.
Does anyone from Kroger above store manager actually read the posts in this forum? What about someone from the union/corporate area who has the job of planning strategy to compete against places like Wal-Mart? If so, did you know employees from walmart go to Kroger and all the main competitors in the area ever week and check the prices of walmarts top ten selling items from each department (100-200 departments) then strategize how to lower walmarts top ten sell prices to pull shoppers from the competitors. If any competitor trys to compete by lowering prices on those top ten items from each department walmart will continue to cut the price until its below what they buy it for and continue to lower the price until its free or the competitor can not compete! Once below the competitor price or free it will remain that low until the competitors simply disappear. Prices never get to free because no competitor has ever been able to reduce their own prices so low it forces walmart to price at zero. I know there is more to it than that but in the simplest form walmart moves into an area and uses this strategy to gain a dominate foothold in an area. If any competitor does actually take on any single walmart in any one area all the surrounding walmarts will combine to afford the loss in one store spread over the district until the competitor can no longer compete!!! After the competition has been destroyed they begin to slowly raise prices until they have reached prices higher than the market would have had if walmart would have never moved in. So for a short time you enjoy low prices until the competition is gone then the prices increased by a certain percent until they reach the sky.
If anyone from Kroger or a competitor or a union is actually reading any of these forums please fight back! Don't try and imitate or become another blend of walmart! Fight back! Walmart lowers wages to use the money offset to ride out these strategic price drops and once employees agree to work for the lower wage even if prices return to normal the wages do not!!! On walmarts fact page they talk about the low wages and barebone crew being the backbone of how they operate. The money they save is balanced by losses on certain products in competing markets. They say the wage never returns and is always low to continue to provide low prices!! The prices are not low anymore, only in competing markets. Its all a big marketing strategy. Can anyone compete and bring back our grocery market. Stater, Hy-Vee, Raleys, Market basket, Harris Teeter, Costco, Fareway, Publix, Trader Joes, Wegmans!! Where are the thinkers of today, the next google of supermarkets? If walmart can find employees to work 100 cases an hour for 8.00hr, can we find better people to work 133 cases an hour for 12.00hr, it might seem like the same thing but its not! Save our meat cutters, our bakers, our supermarkets!
